Sandalwood and Bollywood comes together to rock the small screen

Three diverse personalities, united by their passion for dance, have come together to judge a mega dance reality show. Sandalwood stars

Radhika

and Prem along with dancing star Salman Yusuf Khan will grace the judges’ seat for a soon-to-be-aired show

Dance Dance

. BT gives you a lowdown.

Children and television give you a high like no other: Prem
For Nenapirali Prem, this is his second stint on TV; he had judged Putani Puntru earlier. “And I have such fond memories of that experience that when I got this offer, it didn’t take me any convincing at all,” he laughs. In fact, the actor takes one by surprise when he reveals that about 60 per cent of the participants of Putani Puntru are still in touch with him even though it’s been a long while since the show wrapped up. “I must admit though that I found it heart-wrenching to judge them in the initial days. They are so full of innocence and enthusiasm that I used to feel extremely agitated when the time came to rate them. Which is why I never used the word eliminate when they had to leave the show. With my previous experience, I’ve now devised a far more gentle way of telling them the same — I say the stage is always open to you... please come back again,” explains Prem. As a judge of a dance reality show, how much does he rate himself as an actor? “I have never said that I’m a great dancer. On screen, I just go by what the choreographer says. But off it, I am great at freestyle. Road alli tamte barsidre, I’m the first one to start doing the tapanguchi,” he tells us. It is the same spirit that he will carry on to the show. “I will go by the natural ability of these kids to move... after all that is what sustains us,” he wraps up.

My love for children clinched this show for me: Radhika
Radhika confesses that while she has received television offers earlier, nothing was compelling enough to give her nod. “But when the makers approached me with this show, I didn’t think twice. The minute I was told that it was a programme that involved kids, I said yes. Put me amidst 10 kids and I’ll happily play with them... they’re far more interesting than adults,” she laughs. The actor says that the show’s format reminded her of her own personal struggles when she entered the industry and that factor struck a chord with her. “I entered the industry when I was really young and that too with no godfather to guide or watch over me. I am entirely self taught, be it acting or dancing. If I’m known for my dancing skills today, that’s because I have worked really hard on myself and that too with no external training. I see that with some of the contestants who come there out of sheer passion and no prior training whatsoever and that really warms the cockles of my heart. That fire just shines through,” she tells us. The actor, though, adds that she winces every time she has to rate a child’s performance. “Some of them are such tiny tots that it breaks my heart to rate them. It’s worse when they start wailing on stage; being a mother of an eight-year-old myself, I know how it feels,” avers Radhika.
So after being a pampered actor on the sets of a film, how does it feel to spend long hours on the sets of a TV show? “I’m still pampered, so I’ve never felt the pinch,” she says tongue-in-cheek, adding that today, besides being an actor, she has also added to her repertoire by becoming a television personality. “When you do a film, you are seen by people for a few weeks. But when you do TV, you beam into people’s homes everyday... that thrills me,” she says.

Just happy to be back in Bengaluru for a show like this: Salman Yusuf Khan
Meanwhile, Dance India Dance fame Salman Yusuf Khan made his presence felt at the mega auditions by entering the venue by grooving to the song Huttidare

Kannada

Naadalli Huttabeku. The boy, who is also making his debut as a TV judge with this show, shared, “I’m also a Bengaluru boy, I’ve grown up here. So here’s saying yelu koti Kannada janatege nanna namaskaragalu.” The ace choreographer, actor and dancer is looking forward to spending some quality time on his home ground during this stint.